Louver construction



Nov. 17, 1936.

E. A. MADER LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Filed July 10, 1935 Sigl- INVENTOR.

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Patented Nov. 17, 1936 PATENT OFFICE LOUVER CONSTRUCTION Emil A. Mader, Detroit, Mich., assignor of onehalf to John Spargo, Detroit, Mich.

Application July 10, 1935, Serial No. 30,587

3 Claims.

This invention relates to louvers and particularly'to louvers for ventilating purposes.

In mounting louvers to be opened by a current of air, it is usual to dispose them one above another and pivot them at their upper edges. The further that such louvers are swung open, under air pressure, the greater resistance is offered by their weight to opening travel. Such louvers are not adapted, therefore, to maintain their fully opened positions responsive to a ventilating flow of air, but considerably obstruct such flow.

' Also it has been generally necessary to form such ventilating louvers of aluminum, since a heavier and cheaper metal would entail too large a gravity resistance to opening travel.

One object of the invention is to mount a set of louvers to turn on vertical axes, thus greatly reducing the resistance ofiered by their weight to opening travel, whereby they may be readily held fully opened by the air flow, and whereby heavier, stronger, and cheaper material than aluminum may be practically employed.

Another object is to provide a set of pivotal louvers, connected for operation in unison, half 7 of which turn reversely to the other half, in opening or closing, whereby each group of louvers may limit opening travel of the other group, and whereby the effect on the louvers of gusts of wind, or of any whirl in a ventilating air flow is neutralized.

A further object is to yieldably establish the closed position of a pivotal louver or shutter by a spring so connected to the louver as to exercise a maximum efiect when the louver is closed and a greatly reduced effect when the louver is opened.

Other objects are to adapt a set of louvers to be closed by a single spring, to provide a very simple regulation for the force exerted by such spring, and to adapt the spring and its regulator to be compactly encased.

These and various other objects the invention attains by the construction hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,

wherein In these views, the reference character I designates a frame, constructed of angle bars and forming a rectangular opening. Installed in said frame and controlling the opening, is a set of pivotal, vertically elongated louvers 2, which will 5 ordinarily be sheet metal but may be formed of glass if translucency is desirable. Each louver is secured at one longitudinal edge on a cylindrical rod 3 vertically journaled in the frame I, the arrangement being such that the louvers at the right side of the frame center are pivoted at their left hand edges, and those to the left of said center are pivoted at their right hand edges. Thus the two groups of louvers swing reversely, when both are operated to cover or uncover the frame 15 opening. To engage the louvers with their supporting rods 3, it is preferred to form them with marginal tubes or sleeves 4- wherein the rods are snugly inserted.

In the closed position of the louvers, the two outermost ones seat upon sheet metal strips 5 of angular cross section which are interiorly secured to the frame and extend entirely around the opening thereof, and which serve as weather strips as well as seats for said louvers. Each of 25 the remaining louvers, when closed, seats against the pivotal edge of the adjacent louver of the same group, being conformed at its free edge to the sleeve 4 of such adjacent louver.

All of the louvers are interconnected to open or close in unison by mounting a pair of intermeshed pinions 6 on the upper ends of the two centermost rods 3 and by connecting the louvers of each group by a swinging link bar I, engaging brackets 8 secured to the inner faces of the 5 louvers. The link bars are so spaced from the louvers by said brackets, as to avoid interference with the louver travel.

A coiled spring 9 serves to effect closing of all of the louvers when the flow of air through the frame I is cut off. Thus said spring extends from a suitable anchorage l0 to the free end of an arm H fast on the upper end of one of the two centermost rods 3, being increasingly tensioned as the louvers open. The effect of said spring on the louvers, however, progressively decreases during their opening travel due to progressive diminution of the leverage afiorded by the arm. This action of the spring is highly desirable, since it assures that the louvers will be firmly restrained from rattling when closed, and may be held fully opened by the minimum intended flow of air.

It is preferred, however, to provide a regulator for the spring to accurately adapt it to various air pressures. Thus the anchorage l may have the nature of a lever pivoted at its mid portion, one end of such lever anchoring the spring and the other pivotally mounting a nut I2 into which is threaded an adjusting screw l3. The head of said screw bears against a lug M in which the screw is freely rotative, said lug being bent up from one end of a sheet metal plate l5 surmounting the frame I. The other end of said plate may be bent up to form another lug- [6 on which the lever I0 is pivoted. This arranges the pinions 6, spring 9, and the regulator for the tened to the frame.

A narrow space formed'between the pivotal edges of the two centermost louvers is suitably closed, preferably by a sheet metal member 18"- which is rigidly secured at top and bottom to the frame, and is folded upon itself to project forwardly into said space, its edges being oppositely bent inwardly of said louvers to overlap their pivotal margins (see Fig. 2).

Additionally to minimizing obstruction of the frame opening in the open position of the louvers and to permitting the use of comparatively heavy sheet metal, the described construction eliminates any rattle of the louvers when closed. Such rattle has been a source of annoyance in louvers depending solely on gravity to maintain their closed position.

It is a further considerable advantage of the improved louvers that they make practicable the installation of a variable speedfan-motor unit to deliver the air current. Such a unit is, in many installations, desirable to accommodate the air current to varying temperatures or other con-e ditions. Regulation of the spring 9 may be quick-- ly effected to correspond with any variations of the air flow.

Location of the spring regulator, on the top of the frame renders said regulator conveniently ac- .rods and compelling reverse travel of the louvers in unison, a spring urging the louvers to their closed position, a regulator for the spring, and a housing mounted on frame and enclosing the pinion members, spring, and regulator.

2. A louver construction comprising a frame having an opening for air flow, a closure for such opening, a member pivoting the closure in the frame and projecting exteriorly of the frame, an

arm carried by said member in exterior proximity to the frame, a coiled spring connected at one end to said arm and urging the closure to its closed position, a lever pivoted upon the frame and forming an anchorage for the other end of the spring, the spring tension being regulable by adjustment of said lever, a nut pivotally attached to said lever, and a screw threaded in said nut and rotatively mounted on the frame for adjusting' said lever.

3. A louver construction comprising a frame having an opening for air flow, a pair of pivotal louvers controlling the opening, a pair of intermeshed pinion members operatively connected to the louvers and compelling reverse travel of the louvers in unison, means 'yieldably urging the louvers to their closed position, a regulator for said means, and a housing mounted on frame and enclosing the pinion members, spring, and regulator.

EMIL A. MADER. 

